DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED MODEL FOR THE BACKYARD ECONOMY TO SUSTAIN FOOD SECURITY IN MALAYSIA: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The backyard economy is an important but little-studied aspect of sustainable food systems, especially in fast-urbanizing countries like Malaysia. This study reviews the literature to determine how an integrated model of the backyard economy can be developed to support Malaysia's food security agenda. The results show that although backyard farming increases household food self-sufficiency, current practices are fragmented because of regulatory barriers, knowledge gaps, resource constraints, and economic disincentives. The study identifies enabling factors like technological innovation, policy integration, community mobilisation, financial support mechanisms, and ecological sustainability as crucial elements of an integrated model. Finally, it suggests a conceptual framework that connects these aspects holistically to position backyard farming as a strategic pillar of national food security. Policy recommendations include mainstreaming backyard farming into urban planning, investing in capacity-building, promoting inclusive technological adoption, developing innovative financing structures, embedding ecological practices, and culturally revalorizing backyard agriculture. This research contributes to advancing sustainable food systems discourse by offering a context-specific blueprint for Malaysia’s backyard economy transformation.